The sign weighs 76,812 pounds (34,841 kg) and is held together by 125 cubic yards (96 m3) of concrete. It stands 134 feet (41 m) tall and is capable of displaying a maximum temperature of 134 °F (57 °C), both of which are a reference to the temperature record.[1]

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It was built in 1991 by the Young Electric Sign Company of Salt Lake City, Utah[1] for Willis Herron, a local businessman who spent $700,000 to build the thermometer next to his Bun Boy restaurant. Soon after its completion, it was damaged by high winds and rebuilt. Herron sold the attraction and restaurant to another local businessman, Larry Dabour, who sold it in 2005. In September 2012, current owner Matt Pike said that the power bill for its operation had reached $8,000 per month and that he turned it off due to the poor economy.[2] In 2013, the thermometer and accompanying empty gift shop were listed for sale.[3] The family of Willis Herron (who died in 2007) recovered ownership of the property in 2014 and stated their intention to make it operational again.[4] The official re-lighting took place on July 10, 2014.[5]

The world's tallest thermometer is located at 72157 Baker Boulevard in Baker, California. It is visible from three different sides along Interstate 15 in Southern California's Mojave Desert. A gift shop at the base of the thermometer stands near a commemorative plaque that describes the history of the site. The adjacent Bun Boy restaurant went out of business after several decades of delighting motorists.